Apparatus for vapor-heating.



D. F. MORTON.

APPARATUS FOR VAPOR HEATING. APPLIOATiON FILED MAY 29, 1911.

1 1 22,408. Patented Dec. 29, 1914.

WITNESSES.- INVENTOR.

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pivirnp STATES PATENT ornrcn.

DAVID F. MORTON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

APPARATUS FOR VAPOR-HEATING.

Application filed May 29, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Davin F. MORTON, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Vapor-Heating, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in steam or vapor heating apparatus and one of its objects is to provide in a single structure an improved automatic regulator and condenser. V

Other objects of the invention are to provide an automatic regulator which shall more perfectly control the heating system than apparatus previously known, and which shall be adapted for working under pressures varying through a wider range than has been possible heretofore.

As herein shown the regulator comprises a pressure chamber, an expansion chamber connected therewith and a controlling float in said expansion chamber. The improved controlling action of the regulator is secured by so constructing it that the float responds more sensitively to variations in pressure at or near the normal working pressure than under more extreme or subnormal pressures. The adaptability to operate under wide ranges of pressure is secured by connecting the pressure chamber and the expansion chamber through the medium of a deep trap in which may be made effective a considerable hydrostatic head to balance relatively high boiler pressures.

A further object of the invention is to so design the apparatus that it will serve, in addition to its other functions, as a safety valve for the boiler with which it is connected. In a preferred embodiment of the invention this result is secured by providing bypasses through the wall of the trap connecting the pressure and expansion chambers, the number of effective passages increasing as the pressure rises so that an increasingly greater volume of steam is permitted to escape through the water in the expansion chamber.

In using the apparatus herein shown the controlling float is connected with and aotuates the damper and drafts of the boiler.

An important feature of the invention, which improves the action of the apparatus in regulating the pressure of the boiler, consists in arranging in the path of the float a Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 29, 1914:.

Serial No. 630,088.

device actuated by said float and acting upon the cold air check, whereby, in the event of an excessive rise of pressure, cold air may be admitted to the smoke pipe and the fire further checked.

Another important feature of the invention relates to the condenser and consists in so designing this part of the apparatus that all steam and moisture returned thereto are condensed while the entrained air is free to escape to the atmosphere, the apparatus actlng automatically to close the air vent and prevent the escape of steam in case the pressure in the boiler should rise sufiiciently to force an excessive volume of steam through the system into the condenser. Another feature of the invention consists 1n providing a perforated shield or baffle to prevent a rush of water from the expans1on chamber in the event of a sudden pressure admitted to the apparatus from any cause. Preferably, though not necessarily, the cold air check regulating device may be utilized to perform this function.

The arrangement of the piping and connections to the apparatus, the pressure gage, and the water gage, together with still further features of the invention will be best understood and appreciated from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof selected for purposes of illustratlon and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which I Figure 1. is a view in longitudinal section. Figs. 2, 3 and 1 are views in cross section on the lines 2-2, 33, and 1-& of Fig. 1.

Asherein shown'the apparatus comprises a casing forming a pressure chamber 8 havng substantially cylindrical side walls merg- 1ng into downwardly converging walls 9 which connect the upper part of the pressure chamber with a vertical column 10. The lower end of the column 10 is flanged and closed by a disk 12 into which is tapped a pipe 14 leading from a point below the Water line of the boiler. A valve 15 is provided in the pipe 1 1 near the bottom of the column 10 which may be opened to drain or fill the apparatus, or should it be desired to operate the regulator in such a manner that the water line therein is subject to the same fluctuations as that in the boiler. In the normal operation of the apparatus, however, the valve 15 is kept closed, the water line in the presure chamber being affected only by the pressure developed in the boiler, The

apertures 24, as will be seen, permit the es-' upper end of the pressure chamber is closed by an inclined roof 16 which, at one side dips below the water line WL under con ditions of no pressure. men the water in the pressure chamber is subjected to a normal working pressure, of about 1 oz. for example, the water line will be depressed just below the lowest point of the inclined roof 16, at which level the effective cross sectional area of the pressure chamber is a maximum. The effective area remains at its maximum between the levels corresponding approximately to 1 oz. and at 02. which represents a moderate range of working pres sure. The effective area of the chamber above the level corresponding to about 1 oz. gradually decreases on acount of the inclined roof 16 and below the level corresponding to about 4 oz. it decreases on account of the convergent walls 9.

The roof 16 of the pressure chamber is apertured eccentrically to receive the casing of the expansion chamber 18 which is of cylindrical form, being reduced in diameter toward its lower end. At its upper end the expansion chamber is provided with a double cap 20 having openings in it which permit free communication between the expansion chamber 18 and the atmosphere. At its lower end the expansion chamber is elongated and one side thereof is extended as a partition 22 nearly to the bottom of the column 10. The partition 22 therefore forms in the column 10 a deep trap which constitutes the connection between the pressure and expansion chambers. A number of small bypass apertures 24.- extend through the partition 22 and these will permit steam to escape from the pressure chamber and ascend through the water in the expansion chamber in case the pressure should rise sufliciently to depress the water levelof the pressure chamber to the depth of the apertures. As the uppermost aperture is uncovered a small quantity of steam will escape and by its noise indicate audibly that the boile pressure is becoming too high. If the pressure is still permitted to increase more apertures are uncovered and a greater volume of steam escapes, the apparatus thus acting as a safety valve for the boiler. The

cape of steam without carrying the water out of the trap in the column 10 or causing a rush of water through the openings in the cap 20.

Within the expansion chamber 18 is arranged a float 26 connected by a chain 28 to the damper and drafts of the boiler, not shown. As the pressure in the boiler increases the water level in the expansion chamber rises and elevates the float moving the chain 28, which may be connected in any usual manner to the damper and drafts so as to check the fire. On the other hand,

if the fire burns low and the boiler pressure drops the float is lowered and the damper and drafts opened thus quickening the fire again.

Suspended above the float 26 is a weighted shell or shield 30 connected by the chain 32 to the cold air check in the smoke pipe and balanced so that if the pressure should rise excessively the float would lift the shell 30 and thereby open the cold air check through the chain 32, thus further checking the fire. As herein shown the shell 30 is nearly of the same diameter as the expansion chamber and is provided with perforations 351- through which must pass any water blown from the apparatus by an abnormal increase of pres sure. The shell therefore acts to break up into spray any continuous rush of water and deflect it against the walls of the expansion chambers as to prevent flooding the premises.

The boiler connections to the pressure chamber 8 lead by way of a small chamber or water bottle 36 which is made integral with the casing of the pressure chamber. Into the bottom of the chamber 36 leads a pipe 38 which is connected to the pipe 1 f between the valve 15 and the boiler, being therefore in direct communication with the boiler below the water line. A second boiler pipe 40 leading from the steam space of the boiler enters the upper end of the chamber 36. The water in the chamber 36 stands always at the same level as in the boiler and its height can be read from a gage glass 37 connected with the side of the chamber 36. An opening 39 in the inner wall of this chamber serves to equalize the water level in the pressure chamber and the boiler while a large opening 35 above the inner wall provides free passage for the steam.

Disposed concentrically about the expansion chamber 18 is an outer shell 12 forming with the expansion chamber an annular condensing chamber 44: into which is tapped an air line or return pipe 46 from the radiators of the system. The shell of the condensing chamber is corrugated to increase its radiating surface and in this chamber is condensed all the vapor and moisture returned from the radiators. A portion of the inclined roof 16 of the pressure chamber forms the bottom of the condensing chamber and from its lowest point there leads a passage A? communicating through a pipe 48 with the boiler pipe 1 1 above described. Through the passage A7 and pipes 48 and 14 the water of condensation is returned to the boiler. The condensing chamber is divided into two parts by vertical partitions 50 and 51, the former extending from the cap 20 to within a short distance of the water in line VJL, as shown on the left side of Fig. 1, and the latter 51 extending from top to bottom of the chamber. Normally the vapor and air,

if any, is returned through the pipe 46 to one part of the chamber, passes around said chamber, below the partition 50 to the other part of the chamber, and then, whatever vapor still remains uncondensed and whatever air has been drawn from theradiators or has leaked into the system is drawn from the second part of the chamber by a vent pipe 52 leading to a chimney flue or other vent duct.

It will be noticed that the condensing chamber is subject to the same conditions of pressure as'the expansion chamber by reason of the connection 48 to the boiler and the connection 52 to the atmosphere. Therefore the water in the condensing chamber and the expansion chamber stands at the same height and both vary as the pressure in the boiler. The pressure may be read on a suitable scale from a water glass 5i con nected at its upper end at 55 to the condensing chamber and at its lower end 56 to the passage l7.

Occasionally the fire may become excessively hot and in this event large quantities of steam will be returned to the condensing chamber. In order to prevent the escape of uncondensed steam when the capacity of the condensing chamber is being exceeded the apparatus is arranged to shut ofl automatically the vent pipe 52. This is effected by locating the lower end of the partition 50 at such a distance above the normal water line that it will be submerged by the rise in the water due to a pressure approximating that at which steam will begin to be returned in substantial quantities to the condensing chamber. Under these conditions the left side of the condensing chamber will be sealed off from the open side and no steam can escape through the pipe 52. Preferably a bypass connection with a thermostatic valve 60 will be provided for releasing the air so trapped if a radiator is turned on while the vent to the flue is sealed.

The operation of my improved apparatus will be apparent from the foregoing detailed description of its construction and the functions of its various parts. It will be understood that the movement of the controlling float 16 is more sensitively regulated under approximately working pressure than at higher or lower pressures because a depression of a unit distance in the water level of the pressure chamber under those conditions causes a correspondingly greater difference in the water level of the expansion chamber than a similar depression of the water level when the eflective area of th pressure chamber is smaller.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by United States Letters Patent is 1. A device of the class described having, in combination, a pressure chamber having a maximum effective cross sectional area in the vicinity-of the normal working water level and diminishing in eflective area below said water level, an expansion chamber communicating with said pressure chamber, and a float in said expansion chamber.

2. A device of the class described having, in combination, a pressure chamber having a maximum eflective cross sectional area in the vicinity of the normal working water level and diminishing in effective area both above and below said water level, an expansion chamber communicating with said pressure chamber below said water line, and a float arranged for movement in said expansion chamber.

3. An automatic damper regulator including an expansion chamber having damper controlling means associated therewith, and a pressure chamber below said expansion chamber, in combination with a condensing chamber, the bottom of which is formed by the top of the pressure chamber and one side wall of which is formed by a wall of said expansion chamber.

4:. An automatic damper regulator including a pressure chamber and a controlling float arranged to be raised and lowered by variations of the pressure therein, the movement of the float being more sensitive to suchvariations when the water line is approximately at working level than when it is above or below working level.

5. A device of the class described having, in combination, a pressure chamber with a downwardly extending portion and a communicating water column, connections to said portion and said water column re spectively from below the water line of the boiler, and a valve in the connection to said first-mentioned portion whereby it may be shutoff without aflecting the connection to said water column.

6. An automatic damper regulator including a pressure chamber having connections to a boiler below the normal water line, in combination with'a receiving and condensing chamber connected to the return pipe of the system and located above said pressure chamber, and a pipe leading from said receiving and condensing chamber to the boiler connection of the pressure chamber.

7. A device of the class described having, in combination, a pressure chamber, an expansion chamber communicating therewith,

a damper regulating float in said expansion chamber, boiler connections leading to different points in said pressure chamber, and a valve whereby the float may be shut off from the fluctuations of the water in the boiler and may be made subject only to the pressure developed in the boiler.

8. A device of the class described having, in combination, a pressure chamber, communicating expansion chamber, a movable float therein, and a Weighted check controllin'g device suspended above the float, arranged to be raised thereby at a predeter mined point in the movement of the float, and being perforated to deflect against the Walls a rush of water through the expansion chamber.

9. A device of the class described having, in combination a pressure chamber and a damper controlling float arranged to be moved therein in accordance with variations of the pressure in the chamber, said chamber having a varying cross sectional area which is less under working conditions of pressure than under conditions of no pressure, whereby the float responds to Variations in pressure below the working pressure less readily than variations at a higher pressure.

10. A device of the class described having, in combination, a pressure chamber and a damper controlling float arranged to be raised or lowered in accordance with variations of the pressure therein, said pressure chamber varying in effective cross section area and, under conditions of no pressure, having an effective area less than under Working conditions of pressure, whereby the float responds to variations in pressure above the normal working pressure more readily than variations at lower pressure.

11. A device of the class described having,

' in combination, a pressure chamber having an inclined roof which dips below the water line under conditions of no pressure, an expansion chamber extending through said roof, and a float in said latter chamber.

12. An automatic damper regulator including a cylindrical expansion chamber, a concentric condensing chamber having a longitudinal partition therein, a return pipe tapped into said condensing chamber on one side of said partition and an air outlet on the other side of said partition.

13. An automatic damper regulator including a pressure chamber and an expansion chamber, and steam passages extending between said chambers and so located as to be uncovered when the pressure exceeds a predetermined amount, the apparatus thereupon acting as a safety valve.

14. An automatic damper regulator in combination with a two-part condensing chamber, one of said parts being open to the atmosphere, and the other part being so shaped as to be automatically sealed by an abnormal increase of pressure.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

DAVID F. MORTON.

lVitnesses H. W. KENWAY, C. K. ALLEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eatents,

Washington, D. (3. 

